Sinuous pleasure-railway



(No Model.) '4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. BORMANN. 1

snwons PLEASURE RAILWAY.

No. 434,554. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

H. BORMANN. SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY. No. 434,554. Patented Aug. 19,1890.

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. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. BORMANN. SINUOUS PLEASURE RAILWAY.

Patented Aug. 19. 1890.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

H. BORMANN. SINUOUS' PLEASURE RAILWAY.

(No Model.)

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, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN BORMANN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SINUOUS PLEASURE-RAILVVAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,554, dated August19, 1890.

Application filed November 13 1889. Serial No. 330,175. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN BORMANN, a subject of the Emperor ofGermany, but now residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sinuous Pleasure-Railways, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improved sinuous or undulatingpleasure-railway adapted for cars or coaches to traverse with an easygliding movement.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to afford thepatronsof such apleasurerailway the excitement of a merry-go-round andthe exhilaration of asliding hill; second, to reduce the amount of spaceoccupied by such a structure and to afford a longer and more varied ridefrom the starting-point over the course to the starting-point again thanhas heretofore been obtained in pleasure-railways; third, to providesimple and durable traction mechanism for propelling the cars andcoaches over the course with a gliding movement and without shock orjar; fourth, to provide mechanism whereby slipping and binding ofthe'wheels of the cars and coaches in their passage over the tracks ofthe sinuous or undulating course are entirely obviated, and, fifth, toprevent the wheels of the cars and coaches from leaving the tracks andto avoid breaking down of the propelling mechanism. 7

My invention in general consists of two or more spiral courses arrangedto permit of cars or coaches being propelled in upward directions overand around two intertwined spirals winding in the same direction arounda common vertical axis, and permitted then to descend over and aroundend spirals combined therewith, or the cars or coaches elevated by powerover and around one of two similarly-disposed spirals and to descendthen over and around the opposite spiral.

My invention further consists of the general construction andarrangement of the.

rails, the wheels of the cars or coaches which run upon said rails, andof the safety or guard The nature and characteristic features of myinvention will be more particularly understood, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure 1 isan elevation of a continuous course formed with two end spiral courseswith two middle intertwined spirals winding in the same direction arounda common vertical axis, and also the means for transmitting motion tothe cars or coaches for their propulsion over the course. Fig. 2 is atop or plan View of the same, showing the tracks or rails of the courseand in dotted lines the railings to protect personspromenadingover thesame. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the continuous course formed of twosimilarly-disposed spirals, and alsothemeansforpropellingthecarsorcoaches over and around one of said spirals of the course. Fig. 4 is atop or plan View thereof. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of thesuperstructure, showing one portion of the spirals of the course withthe columns and beams or rafters for supporting the structure over whichthe cars or coaches are propelled and permitted to traverse the courses.Fig. 6 is a top or planview thereof. Fig. 7 is a view, partly in endelevation and partlyin section, of a car mounted on wheels and providedon the under side thereof with a rack, and showin g, also, the rails ofthe course and the safety or guard rolls having a hood surrounding theupper portion-thereof, and a pinion or spur wheel meshing with saidrack. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the safety or guard rolls. Fig. 9 isa side elevation of twocars or coaches coupled together and provided onthe under side thereof with a rack adapted to permit of a spur-wheelmeshing therewith. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the under side of a car orcoach with the axles and ends thereof disposed at an angle to eachother, and also showing the rack with which meshes the spur-wheel orpinion. Fig. 11 is an elevation of a portion of two cars, showinganother form of rack and the manner of securing the same to the cars orcoaches. Fig. 12 is an end View showing the manner of supporting therack to the cars or coaches. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the under side ofthe car or coach shown in Fig. 11, with a chain or link form of rack forthe spur-wheel to engage with for propelling the cars or coaches. Fig.14 is an end View, partly in section and partly in elevation, of amodified form of car traveling upon one track and supported in avertical position by guide-rolls engaging with a depending beam or rail;and Fig. is an elevation of a car or coach, showing the central frame-work for carrying the guide-rolls.

Referring to the drawings, A is the spiral or sinuous course. Thiscourse may be supported upon trestle or frame work resting upon theground, or it may be secured to the sides or walls and roof of abuilding. The number and arrangement of the spirals constituting thecourse depend upon the amount of space available for the purpose. Thearrangement and construction of the similarlydisposed end spirals havingcombined therewith two intertwined spirals winding in the same directionaround a common vertical axis (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) are forstructures where ample space is available for such railway-courses. Thesimilarly-disposed end spirals having combined therewith the twointertwined middle spirals winding in the same direction around a commonvertical axis, and the similarly-disposed spiral courses of Figs. 3 and4, afford not only a long course, butalso an exceedingly compactstructure for such pleasure-railroads.

It may be remarked that in actual operation the sensation of ascendingone spiral and descending another spiral or spirals in the reverse or ina similar manner is very popular. Moreover, the cars winding around andup and down the spirals of the course present a pleasant and amusingspectacle to those watching the sport, and the excitement of the sportis greatly enhanced by providing short undulations in the course; but Iprefer to make the ascending and descending curves of the coursecomparatively smooth and gradual.

One or more spur-wheels or pinions a is or are located at a convenientpoint or points in the course, preferably at the summit, and revolve insuitable bearings secured to the frame-work.

a is a pulley adapted to impart motion to the spur-wheels or pinions.

a is a pulley keyed to a shaft driven by a steam engine or othersourceof motion. (Not shown.)

a is a belt adapted to transfer motion from one pulley to another, anda", Figs. 1 and 2, is a counter-shaft provided with three tight pulleysa, a, and of.

B, Figs. 5 and 6, is the frame or trestle work, consisting of columns,rafters, and beams for supporting the structure or railway-cou rse.

I) and b are railings arranged around the edges of the course forseparating the pron1- enaders from the riders.

b is a footway for the accommodation of persons'either waiting for anopportunity to ride or watching the participants in the sport as theypass around the course or courses.

Referring now especially to Figs. 2, f, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 13, bare the rails laid upon the course in any preferred manner and in twoparallel rows extending entirely over the course or courses. The cars orcoaches G travel over the rails b of the entire course A. Each car it isprovided with amain platform 0', having the extremities thereof cutaway, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 10 and 13, to permit a traincomposed of such cars or coaches coupled together to be propellcd overand to traverse the curved portions of the course. The sides of theplatforms 0 extend laterally beyond the rails If, for a purpose to bepresently described. The seats 0 for the accommodation of thepassengers, are secured to the platforms 0' in any preferred manner, andpreferably arranged transversely to each car or coach. A rack c issecured to the under side of each car or coach and journal-boxes c tothe under side of the platforms. These journal-boxes c are arrangedradially with reference to the center of the spiral of the course andsupport the axles c. The wheels 0, adapted to run on the rails D arecarried by the axles c and may be keyed or otherwise secured thereto;but I prefer to mount one of the wheels loosely upon the axle 0 in orderto avoid their binding or slipping on the tracks in the passage of thecars or coaches over the short straight portions of the courses. Theradial position of the axles prevents the wheels from binding upon therails when the cars are traversing the curved or spiral portions of thecourses.

The draw-heads or links 0 for coupling the cars or coaches together aresecured to respective extremities of the cars in any preferred manner.

The rack 0 consists of a strip (Z of wood secured to the under side ofeach car or coach, and to which a depending metal strip 0 is bolted toeach side thereof. The teeth of the rack may consist of the transversebelts or stays 0 secured at the respective ends thereof to the metalstrips 0 as shown in Figs. 9, 10, 14:, and 15. A modified form of rackis illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, in which the ends of thedepending strips 0 are flanged, by preference inwardly, in order tofurnish a support for an endless chain composed of long links, and theconnecting-bolts c of which form the teeth of this rack. This chain issecured to the under side of the platforms of the cars by one or morelinks provided with projections which terminate in bolts c, whereby thecar C is held in the mannerillustrated, for instance, in Figs. 11, 12,and 13.

Referring now to Figs. 14 and 15 for a description of another form of myinvention in which the rail Z) in a continuous line is laid ICC upon thecourse in asingle sinuous direction, and the angle-iron ordepending rail19 is secured to the frame-work of the superstruct-j ure verticallyabove the single rail b the wheels o revolve in bearings secured to thelower portion of the frame 0 and are adapted to traverse the continuoussingle line of rails h The similarly dis'posed 'rolls vrun in bearingslocated on each side of the depending rail 12 These rolls are secured tothe upper portion of the central frame 0 and embrace the depending rail12 and thereby maintain the frame 0 in a vertical position. This centralframe 0 is free to traverse the entire course by means of the wheelsthereof without binding or slipping upon said rails U The platform ofeach car or coach 0 is secured to the vertical frame 0 and is heldrigidly by means of the braces 0 The supports D, secured tothosuperstructure, are located adjacentto and on both sides of thespur-wheel a. The safety or guard rolls (1 are journaled to saidsupports and engage with thelateral extensions of the platforms in orderto overcome the tendency of the spur-wheel a to lift the cars from thetrack, and also any tendency of the teeth of the spur-wheel to fail toengage with the teeth of the rack 0 The hoods d are either secured tothe supports D or'to the floor of the supersturucture and surround theupper portion of the rolls d in order to protect the passengers ridingupon the cars or coaches from injury. Moreover, the lateral extensionsof the platforms serve as footways for a guard or conductor to walkalong to collect'fares from the passengers desiring to ride over thecourse.

The mode of operation of the pleasure-railway heretofore described is asfollows: The cars 0 are coupled together by means of the draw-heads orlinks 0 or by means of the chain-rack, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and13, and form a continuous train extending over the entire course. Thechain 0 secured to the under side of the respective cars orcoaches,forming thereby an endless rack, is arranged so as to admit a spur-wheela, revolved by suitable motive power, to mesh therewith. Thesteam-engine or other prime mover is started by the attendant in charge,and mo tion is transmitted to the spur-wheel a by means of the belts aor in any other preferred manner. The rotation of the s pur-wheelengaging with the rack-propels the latter onward and causes the entiretrain of cars to traverse the sinuous spiral coursesfor example, in thedirection of the arrows-with a smooth and gliding motion. The train ofcars may be stopped to take on or let off passengers either by stoppingthe prime mover or by shifting the driving-belt onto an idlepulley.

It will be obvious that by providing a motor-car a number of thepassenger-coaches may be drawn upward to the summit of one of thecourses from the starting-point and be then permitted to return again tothe starting point or points by gravity. In such an instance thespur-wheel and the rack provided underneath the cars or coaches could beomitted.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, What Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The herein-described sinuous pleasurerailway, consisting oftwointertwined spirals winding in the same direction around a commonvertical axis and connected with end' spiral courses and adapted topermit of cars or coaches being propelled upward over the same and thencaused to descend over the course, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

2. The herein-described sinuous pleasurerailway, consisting of twointertwined spiral courses winding in the same direction around avertical axis, and having connected therewith end spirals adapted topermit of cars or coaches traveling and being elevatedover the courses,and of being allowed to then descend to the point or points ofbeginning, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with a sinuous pleasure-railway consisting of twoadjacent spiral courses compassing two or more entire cycles aroundtheir centers, and rails mounted thereon, of cars or coaches providedwith a rack, a spur-wheel or pinion meshing therewith, and means forimparting motion thereto, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

4. The combination, with a sinuous pleasure-railway consisting of twospiral courses disposed adjacent to one another and compassing two ormore entire cycles around their respective centers, of cars or coachesprovided with devices for permittingof their elevation over one of saidspiral courses and adapted to permitof the descent of the cars orcoaches over the other of said courses, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

5. The combination, with a sinuous pleasure-railway, as described, andprovided with rails, of cars or coaches provided with a rack, trucks andwheels adapted to travel over said rails, guard-rolls engaging with saidcars or coaches, a spur-wheel meshing with said rack, and means forimparting motion thereto, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

6. The combination, with a sinuous pleasure-railway provided with railsand guardrolls, of cars orcoaches provided with a rack, a pinion, andmeans for actuating the same, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

7. The combination, with a sinuous pleasure-railway composed of twointertwined and end spiral courses provided with top and bottom rails,of cars or coaches provided with wheels engaging with said rails, andmeans for propelling said cars or coaches, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. The combination, with a sinuous pleaslire-railway, as described, ofcars or coaches In witness whereof I have hereunto set my provided witha rack, and trucks provided signature in the presence of two subscribingwith wheels adapted to travel over said railwitnesses.

Way, a spur-Wheel, means for actuating the HERMANN BORMANN. 5 same, andguard-rolls contacting with the Witnesses:

platforms of said cars or coaches, substan- THOMAS M. SMITH,

tially as and for the purposes set forth. GEO. W. REED.

